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In
its report following the initial inquiry, the European
Commission said there was an increased use of contractual
restrictions to control product distribution, which could be in
breach of EU antitrust rules.
"Certain practices by companies in e-commerce markets may
restrict competition by unduly limiting how products are
distributed throughout the EU," Competition Commissioner
Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.
The e-commerce sector inquiry is part of the European
Commission's campaign to overhaul the bloc's digital market in a
bid to boost growth and catch up with the United States and
Asia.
"The insight gained from the sector inquiry will enable the
Commission to target EU antitrust enforcement in European
e-commerce markets, which will include opening further antitrust
investigations," the Commission said.
The EU executive also found that manufacturers increasingly use
selective distribution systems where products can only be sold
by pre-authorized sellers, giving them more control over
distribution and price.
The report showed that almost 60 percent of digital content
providers have agreed with the copyright holders for music,
films and TV shows, for example, to geoblock, namely restricting
consumers' access to products and services based on where they
are located.
Some licensing practices may also make it more difficult for new
online business models and services to emerge, the Commission
said.
EU antitrust scrutiny of the pharmaceutical, energy and
financial services industries over the past decade prompted
investigations into companies in all three sectors.
(Reporting by Julia Fioretti and Robert-Jan Bartunek; editing by
David Clarke)
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